Every day, humans generate 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. Needless to say, there's a whole lot of it out there -- big data -- and plenty of people who want to scrutinize it for any hidden treasures it might contain. Trouble is, most of the tools for working with that data are geared toward programmers and other technical types. Business analysts and other non-IT folks haven't had much access to it.

... until now. BigSheets, a spreadsheet-style tool that's part of the InfoSphere BigInsights platform, enables non-programmers to explore, manipulate, and visualize data stored in distributed file systems. And this week's top feature shows how you can start analyzing social media and structured data with BigSheets: Model the data, manipulate it using built-in macros and functions, create charts, and export the results. BigInsights even includes sample applications that can help you collect and import data from various sources. (Take BigInsights for a test drive.)

So there's no need to feel overwhelmed by all those bytes. No doubt even Keanu could handle that.

Welcome, developers!
Just beyond my laptop screen, I can see the Gulf of Mexico. (Believe it or not, poolside is the best place in the condo complex to get a Wi-Fi signal.) Yep, I'm on vacation this week, and taking a little time out to make you aware of what's new on developerWorks. As anyone in IBM will attest, breaks like this are critical to maintaining your mental health, and can help improve your performance once you're back on the job.

Know what else helps? Conferences! Industry-specific gatherings offer a great opportunity to recharge, reconnect, and build skills, and the Rational "Invisible Thread" blog post, "13 reasons every developer should attend a conference," makes an outstanding case for hitting the road. Convinced? Then consider attending IBM Innovate 2012, which kicks off on 3 June in Orlando, Florida (just up the highway from where I'm sitting). Join thousands of other IT professionals for a wide range of technical sessions, keynotes, hands-on workshops, and more -- all of which reveal how software-driven innovation can help you deliver smarter products and improve your organization's bottom line.

Plus, you get to stay in an actual hotel. No need to freeload off your in-laws, as I'm doing right now. Speaking of which ... play time!

Welcome, developers!
Let's face it: It's one thing to explore a technical topic; it's entirely another to master it. Here at developerWorks, we bring you boatloads of informative technical resources week after week, but when it comes to getting deep, directed understanding of specific skills, you might occasionally find yourself feeling somewhat, well ... adrift.

Allow us to help you navigate to the land of expertise with our new developerWorks knowledge paths. These focused learning guides bring together a broad range of resources -- articles, tutorials, trial software, demos, and more -- to help you gain the depth of understanding you're after. Start building your skills in any of 35 different knowledge paths, including cloud computing basics, Linux system administration, agile software development, and HTML5 fundamentals (with more on the way). You can follow the steps in each path sequentially, or focus only on the items that interest you. We even help you keep track of your progress. Ready to set sail? Read Daryl Pereira's overview to see how knowledge paths can add more depth to your skill set.

And no, I have no idea how I ended up with a nautical theme here. Ah well, anchors aweigh and bon voyage!